Circuit control



June 12, 1934. J ALBR|GHT 1,962,377

CIRCUIT CONTROL Filed May 9, 1930 9 John a Albrisht AT Toruug a Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIiZE CIRCUIT CONTROL John G. Albright, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 9, 1930, Serial No. 451,053

4 Claims.

This invention relates to circuit controls, more particularly adapted for signal lamps, signs, or the like, and has for its object the provision of a new and improved device of this type. In the drawing accompanying this specification, and forming a part of this application, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, one form which my invention may assume, and in the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a signal lamp, showing one embodiment of the invention, while Figure 2 is a diagrammatic layout of the circuit and operating mechanism, forming part of said embodiment.

The embodiment herein shown comprises a support 10 carrying a suitable housing 11, the front wall 12 of which has a glass covered opening 13 through which an electric lamp 14 is visible. The lamp 14 is carried by a reflector 15 secured to the front wall 12 by bolts 16, is connected to one contact of a battery 18 by means of a conductor l9, and the circuit to the lamp 14 is completed by conductors 20 and 21.

Interposed in the circuit with the lamp 14. and the battery 18 is a circuit control means indicated generally at 22. As best shown in Figure 2, the conductor 20 is connected with a contact member 23 in the form of a set screw, adjustably mounted in a block of insulating material 24, and having its inner end 25 projecting into a bore 26 extending longitudinally through the remaining portion of the block 24; to the inner end of the adjustable contact 25 is fixedly connected one end of a thermally responsive contractible-expansible element 27, the opposite end of the element 27 being fixedly connected to a pendulum strip 28 formed from a strip of phosphor bronze, having its end 29 fixed to the block 24 by a screw 30, curved upwardly as indicated at 31, extending considerably above the upper surface of the block 24 and having slidably and adjustably mounted thereon a weight 32 forming the head of the pendulum. Intermediate the ends of the strip 28 is a contact 33, disposed in line with a contact 34 carried by a bracket 35 fixed to the block 24 and connected to the conductor 21 leading to the battery 18.

In operation, assuming the circuit to be open as indicated in full lines in both Figures 1 and 2, the thermally responsive element 27 will cool and contract, and by reason of its anchorage to the screw contact 25, and its connection with the pendulum strip 28, it will pull the pendulum strip inwardly toward the block 24 so as to bring the contacts 33 and 34 into engagement. When this occurs, the circuit will be closed, and the heat generated in the thermally responsive element 27 will cause elongation through expansion of the element 27 and move the pendulum strip 28 outwardly, breaking engagement between the contacts 33 and 34.

This action will continue indefinitely, or so long as the energy produced by the battery 18 endures. In fact the make and break of the circuit in the device occurs very rapidly and not with constant regularity; however due to the provision of the resilient pendulum strip 28 and the adjustable pendulum head 32, this action may be greatly retarded and an unvarying regularity of cycle imposed upon the make and break device, in such a manner that the pendulum, while being driven by the automatically operable make and break device, independently imposes upon the movable contact of the maize and break device an unvarying periodic cycle which results in the regular intermittent make and break of the circuit. 75. The interval of time within which the make and break occurs can readily be controlled by adjusting the pendulum head 32 along the pendulum strip 28; the smaller the distance between the contact 33 and the pendulum head 32, the more go rapid the vibrations will be, although entirely regular, whereas greater distance between the contact 33 and the pendulum head 32, decreases the rapidity of the vibrations but does not affect the regularity of movement. In any event due to 35 the provision of the pendulum control, the device operates at regular intervals, providing a construction in which the automatic make and break is utilized to drive the pendulum, but is itself controlled by the pendulum in its movements.

From the above description those skilled in the art will appreciate that I have produced a new and improved circuit control device and accordingly that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention. At the 5 same time those skilled in the art will realize that the particular embodiment of my invention herein shown and described embodies advantages and uses other than those specifically pointed out or suggested herein, and also that this particular embodiment of my invention may be variously changed and modified Without departing from the spirit thereof, or sacrificing any of the advantages inherent in the invention, Wherefore it will be understood that the disclosure herein is illustrative only and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. An electric circuit control mechanism, comprising: a block of insulation carrying a contact, a source of energy connected with said contact, a pendulum carried by said insulating block remote from said contact and having a second contact, a thermal element anchored at one end to said block in spaced relation to said contacts, extending through said block, and at its opposite end connected to said pendulum.

2. An electric circuit control mechanism, comprising: a block of insulating material carrying a contact and having a chamber formed therein, a source of energy connected with said contact, a pendulum carried by said insulating block remote from said contact and having a second contact, said pendulum being resilient beyond said contacts, a thermal element disposed within said chamber and anchored at one end to said block in spaced relation to said contacts, and at its opposite end connected to said pendulum.

3. A make and break device, comprising: rigid supporting means; a pendulum member anchored adjacent one end to said supporting means and having its opposite end free, and its free end carrying a weight, said pendulum member being in the form of a metallic spring strip, resilient throughout its length, and swingable about its point of anchorage; a rigidly fixed contact carried by said supporting means, and positioned to be engaged by said strip intermediate its point of anchorage and the weighted end thereof, said strip when moved against said contact resiliently flexing to permit overswinging of the weighted end of said strip beyond said contact, and movable away from said contact by reason of the reflex energy stored by its flexing; and a hot wire having a rigid anchorage at one end, and having its opposite end connected to said strip at a point intermediate said fixed contact and the anchorage of said strip, and operable when heated to augment the reflex swinging of said strip away from said fixed contact, and of a length to limit said reflex swinging of said strip, while permitting overswinging of the weighted end thereof beyond the said opposite end of said hot wire, and in the opposite direction, and thereby to effect return springing of said strip into engagement with said rigidly fixed contact; and a circuit communicating at one end with said fixed contact and at the other with said hot wire;

4. A make and break device, comprising: rigid supporting means; a pendulum member anchored adjacent one end to said supporting means and having its opposite end free, and its free end carrying a weight, said pendulum mem ber being in the form of a metallic spring strip resilient throughout its length, and swingable about its point of anchorage; a rigidly fixed contact carried by said supporting means, and positioned to be engaged by said strip intermediate its point of anchorage and the weighted end thereof, said strip when moved against said contact resiliently flexing to permit overswinging of the weighted end of said strip beyond said contact, and movable away from said contact by reason of the reflex energy stored by its flexing; and a hot wire having a rigid anchorage of conducting material at one end, and having its opposite end connected to said strip at a point intermediate said fixed contact and the an chorage of said strip, and operable when heated to augment the reflex swinging of said strip away from said fixed contact, and of a length to limit said reflex swinging of said strip, while permitting overswinging of the weighted end thereof beyond the said opposite end of said hot wire, and in the opposite direction, and thereby effect return springing of said strip into engagement with said rigidly fixed contact; and a circuit communicating at one end with said fixed contact and at the other with the anchorage for said hot wire.

JOHN G. ALBRIGHT. 

